Picking up those brushes again.

Hi and welcome to the occasional mutterings of Dave Doc, a military modeller and some time gamer. Gaming and model making has given me a real education, History & Geography(obvious really), Artistry, Politics, Economics, Logistics, Project Management -you try building miniature armies without the last 3.

I will use the blog to record my creations & the odd occasion I actually do some gaming.

I have always been inspired by the aesthetic side of gaming. Playing on well constructed terrain using excellently painted units is always a joy.

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

A Norman adventure part 2

We have spent another day out exploring and following the "Route Voie de la Liberté". This runs down the western side of Normandy through the Manche department from St Mere Eglise , through the route the US army took fighting it's way from the landings. It runs through St Lo , Countances and Villedieu le Poeles, Brecey, to Avranches and the bay of Mont St Michel. Through rolling and in some cases very hilly and wooded countryside. Driving down some of the small twisty roads really had me thinking about those poor guys on point duty, just waiting to find if there was a German rearguard lying in wait for them .

We called at the Brittany American Cemetery (which is in Normandy just!) This site is less of a draw for the coach and school parties than the larger one at St Laurent. We had it to ourselves for some quiet contemplation

The chapel has a carillion - sitting listening to it play Halls of Montezuma across the empty cemetery was really something.

The cemetery has over 4400 grave plots and another 500 unknown grave memorials in the walls.

Wondering around looking at the variety of orgin of the names, Italian, Eastern European, Anglo Saxon, Germanic, Hispanic engraved on the headstones really brought to mind the lines from "The New Colossus"

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Although one did strike me - a Robert E Lee..

Private First Class, U.S. Army , Service # 32956306

110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division

Entered the Service from: Delaware

Died: 10-Aug-44

Buried at: Plot C Row 3 Grave 1

Brittany American Cemetery

St. James, France

Awards: Purple Heart

Private FC Robert E Lee - I Thank you.

From St James we headed across some higher ground at Montjoie St Martin and found a small French plot to the volunteer Moroccan soldiers serving with the Leclerc Divisionn who helped to liberate the small village.

We then headed west across toward Mont St Michel. Calling at the German Cemetery at Huisines Sur Mer.- well more accurately it is an Ossuary. A somewhat cold and stark place, but a final resting place for nearly 12,000 men for relatives to visit.Of course history is written (and built) by the victors.

From the rear of the cemetery you can see across to Mont St Michel rising up from the Bay.

A true vision of a fantasy castle rising up from the seas if ever there was one. It is a fascinating sight. I can imagine building this as a terrain piece!